Eleventh Curse (?)

[bondsofsuffering]

[Audio]

You know, I've been thinking...

[Well. This is out of the blue. He continues to speak, his voice especially light and easy today.]

Hinoto-Ri isn't such a bad place, when you get right down to it. It gives a lot of opportunities you might not have had before - if you were sick, you're healthy. If you were dead, you're alive. You can do pretty much whatever you want! Philemon himself said we won't remember anything that happens here once we return to our worlds. We're technically here to save the people of Hinoto-Ri, but even if you don't do anything, there aren't any real repercussions. You'll still have a roof over your head whether you help or not.

That's a lot more than most people get.

I like it here! Sure, things could always go wrong - but that's fine. I've finally got a shot at living, not having to worry about getting sick or killed... It's about time I embraced that!

[There's a pause, but it's not hard to get the sense that he's got a satisfied grin on the other side of the feed despite the heaviness of those words.]

Ah-- Also, before I forget. Apparently there's another me going around. If you spot him, try and message me, will ya? He's probably harmless, but I think we should probably have a talk.

Comments

[bondsofsuffering]

Ahh, I'm the only one with that little problem. My brother was as healthy as you can get! He was around long enough to set his plan into motion, after all... If he had the same problem, he wouldn't have ever become the Devil in the first place!

But as it was... God himself had to strike him down. In a manner of speaking, that is. They say he was so surprised someone could finally kill him - he even died with a look of shock on his face!

[He gives an amused chuckle. What a way to die, right?]

[trainwrecking]

Then why make two brothers if only one of them would even live long enough to carry this... "game" out?

[He practically has to spit the word, swallowing the rest of his distaste. "Game." How grossly inappropriate.]

Isn't that just pointless and cruel? If you have all these perfect "children" to ... blend in, and an already healthy Devil, why would this "Creator" even bother? For laughs?!

[bondsofsuffering]

Well, to be honest, Creator probably didn't intend for me to exist, really! [There was only one God and one Devil... at least, to begin with.] But apparently, my brother thought it would be a good idea to have "insurance". Someone else around with the exact same genes as him, to continue to pass them along.

[Even if that... doesn't really line up with the usual definition of "brother". But he continues on anyway.]

That's probably why my body came out like this. The world itself rejected the idea of another Devil, just like it rejected the idea of another God. But then again...

I suppose it's fine to blame science for it, too!

[With cloning technology still so new, it's only to be expected that a human subject would develop problems.]

[trainwrecking]

You can't make "insurance" for yourself, you would have to be identical twins. That's the only way you can have something carry your exact genes --

[Except it isn't.

"You could always blame science." ]

So you're -- No, that can't...

[Can't it?]

Are you... telling me that he created you as... a copy of his own DNA?

[bondsofsuffering]

You're kind of slow on the uptake, aren't you? Even though you studied people like me so much.

[trainwrecking]

It's not like this information is something you just-- encounter everyday. Maybe it's normal for you, but...

[He swallows back as much of his disappointment as he can, but it's too much. His hushed tone is a delicate veil for it, hardly the perfect stone he would like.]

... You should have told me. No -- Hizumi should have told me. Not you.

[bondsofsuffering]

Oops! Did I blow my cover already?

[trainwrecking]

A long time ago. I'm sure you know -- Hizumi would never talk so easily to me without tell me to back off at least twice.

[Moreover, that mint-haired boy would never speak so cheerfully about the murder of innocent people. Hizumi could be annoying, certainly. Otonashi never relished in being the butt of someone's joke, but at the same time, it was something he seldom experienced.

In some odd way, he had almost grown fond of it. Maybe it was because they were achingly similar, even when they hated to admit it and ruffed each other up. No matter the outcome of this conversation, he had decided early on that he would be hitting up the nastiest markets once this was over.

The grossest, unhealthiest markets for only the finest in greasy foods for a certain teenager that the world had rejected. Here, he could do that much.

Maybe someday, if they remembered any of this, he would have to remember to hold onto some of the worst snacks in the afterlife. Hizumi might appreciate them there, too.]

You might have a few people going, though. You have the deceptive cheer down... [It's spoken with a twinge of bitterness.]

[bondsofsuffering]

You always did have a habit of hitting too close to home, even when you had no idea. It was kind of scary! Who'd have thought there would be someone else so ready to jump in and try to save people even though he has no idea what he's getting into? It's like looking at the things you did as a thirteen year old. Kind of embarrassing, really!

I should make myself clear, though. I'm not just pretending to be happy! I'm a little different from the Hizumi you know in that way. He might lie to himself and everyone else, but I'm done with that! I'm ready to embrace true happiness - not any more of this false cheer, acting like everything's alright.